Tool for working concrete and the like



Nov. 12, 1935. G, c op 2,20,374.

TOOL FOR WORKING CONCRETE AND THE LIKE Filed March 28, 1935 2"Sheets$heet 1 zmwm Nov. 12, 1935. P|CKQP TOOL-FOR WORKING CONCRETE ANDTHE LIKE- 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 .Filed March 28, 19,35

Patented Nov. 12, 1935 PATENT OFFIQE.

TOOL FOR WORKING CONCRETE AND THE LIKE George B. Pickup, New Haven,Conn.

Application March 28, 1935, Serial No. 13,439

17 Claims.

This invention relates to so-called vibrator spades, and moreparticularly to a device for spading or compacting concrete after thelatter has been poured into forms such as is usually clone in thebuilding of retaining walls, building walls, roadways, or the like, inorder to settle and condense the plastic mass so that it will, after itis set, be free from such imperfections as sand holes, air cavities, orthe like. In general the tool consists of a member adapted to sink intothe mass of concrete and to be vibrated therein in such a manner as todeliver a kinetic blow for condensing and consolidating the mass. Thismember not only serves as a tool to work against the mass, but alsoserves as the housing for the vibrator and is supported upon the end ofa tubular handle through which the motive fluid is led to the vibratorand also through which the exhaust is carried from the vibrator.

By this provision the tool is permitted to work its way into the mass ofconcrete to any desired depth, as the handle may be extended to anypractical length, and the lower portion of the handle as well as thetool itself may be covered by the concrete when the tool sinks thereinwithout interfering with the operation of the device. As will beapparent as the description proceeds, the vibrator itself is completelyenclosed so that there will be no danger of any foreign particlesentering the vibrator cylinder even when the tool is completely buriedin the mass.

In the past the tools which have been employed for this purpose havesometimes been so constructed that a casing or housing is inserted intothe concrete, this housing containing a vibrating or oscillating memberwhich is propelled from a motor supported above the concrete mass. Thisrequires a relatively long flexible shaft extending from the motor downto the vibratory member, and is also subject to other disadvantages.Other tools which have been employed for a similar purpose provide anunbalanced rotating member which is lowered into the concrete mass andoperates by a gyratory motion to work against the mass. Such a membermust necessarily make an opening of considerable size to work itselfinto the mass, and naturally leaves when it is withdrawn an opening orvoid which must be filled by the. sumping of the concrete therein whenthe tool is withdrawn.

The present device aims to provide a tool which shall have one or moreflat blades to work against the concrete mass and also provide means forhousing or carrying the vibrator, while at the same time make as smallan opening as possible in the mass so that little movement of the.concrete will be necessary to fill the opening after the tool iswithdrawn.

One object of the invention, therefore, is the provision of I a tool forcondensing or compacting 5 concrete, which shall operate to deliver akinetic blow against the concrete over a considerable area, and at thesame time shall have a relatively small displacement.

Another object of the invention is the provision 10 of a condensing orcompacting tool of the class described which shall be supported by arelatively long handle so that it may be lowered into the concrete massand in which provision shall be made for mounting the motor, in thisinstance a vibrator, within the tool itself.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a compacting orcondensing tool carrying a vibrating motor, which tool and motor shallbe capable of operating when completely buried within a mass of concreteand which is supported at the end of a relatively long tubular handlethrough which the power is conducted to drive the motor, and by whichthe tool may be manipulated.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a compactingtool of the character described which may be carried upon the end of arelatively long handle, which handle is insulated from the tool so thatthe vibrations in the latter will not be transmitted to the handleitself.

To these and other ends the invention consists in the novel features andcombinations of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a vibrator spade embodying myinvention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the tool portion of the same;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of the tool;

Fig. 5 is a side elevational View with the auxiliary spade elementremoved.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on line 66 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 7 is a sectional view on line 7-1 of Fig. 6.

To illustrate a preferred embodiment of my invention, I have shown acondensing or compacting tool, the body of which is preferably made intwo halves, l0 and H, which are held together by means of the bolts l2and which meet along the plane of the line [3.

As shown more particularly in Figs. 6 and '7, each half of the tool bodycomprises a flat plate I4 provided adjacent its upper end with anoutwardly projecting enlargement 5 which is interiorly hollow to providea chamber for the vibrator casing I6. At the upper portion of thischamber an opening I! is provided to permit connection of the handle ofthe tool with the vibrator casing, as will be hereinafter described.

Upon the plates 4 are provided a number of fins or vane-like members I8,which may be in the form of flat blades and which extend transversely tothe plate-like members l4. As shown, three of these members areprovided, one at each side edge and one at approximately the center ofthe member I4. It will be understood, of course, that these members uponone of theplates I4 or one half of the tool register with those upon theother half to form the oval-shaped blade-like members shown in sideelevation in Figs. 2 and 7.

The chamber I5 is of such a-size that thev-ibrator casing l6 will fitsnugly and be held tightly therein when the nuts are tightened upon thebolts l2, so that the vibrations imparted to the vibrator casing will betransmitted to the body of the tool. 7

The vibrator, which in this instance is mounted in the compacting tool,comprises the casing i9,

which, as shown more especially in Fig. 6, extends across the tool atright angles to the plane of the members l8. Within the casing is theusual piston 20 which is operated by a fluid under pressure, usuallycompressed air, the casing having an inlet opening 2| for the admissionof the motive fluid, and exhaust ports 22 and 23 to permit the exhaustof the motive fluid after it has been used. The vibrator may be of thespringless type similar to that shown in my application, Serial No.3,991, filed January 29, 1935. It will be noted, however, that in thisinstance the exhaust ports 22 and 23 are both located upon the upperside of the casing adjacent the inlet port 2|. A cover 24 is secured asby welding or the like to the upper portion of the casing to cover theexhaust ports so as to prevent the entry of foreign particles therein.

Extending upwardly from the cover 24 is a tubular sleeve or nipple 25,to which is threadedly connected a collar 26. A second nipple 27 isconnected at the upper end of the collar, and extending upwardly fromthis nipple is a short length of flexible hose 28 to the upper end ofwhich is connected a rigid pipe or tubular handle 29. This handle 29 ispreferably provided in sections having unions 3!! and 3| at each endthereof so that by providing additional sections or lengths the handlecan be extended or shortened to any desired length. At the upper end ofthe pipe 29 there is provided a T 32 to which are connected the hollowhandle members 33 and 34 which may be grasped by the operator to carryor manipulate the tool.

The inlet opening 2| of the vibrator casing is provided in a threadedboss 35, to which is connected a nipple 36 joined by a collar 31 to asecond nipple 38, to which is connected a length of rubber hose 39 whichextends upwardly through the tubular member 29 and out through thehandle 34 to be connected to the source of compressed air or othermotive fluid. It will be seen that as the tubular connections to theinlet opening 2| are smaller than the tubular connections to the cover24, the exhaust fluid issuing from the ports 22 and 23 will be permittedto pass upwardly through the handle 29 about the hose 39 and itsassociated parts, that is to say, the motive fluid will be conducted tothe I vibrator through the hose 39 and the nipple 36,

spiral wire guard 40 which will serve to prevent 5 the collapse of thistubular member when it is covered by the concrete mass. This memberserves to insulate from the handle the vibrations of the tool, and alsoenables the tool to work out of alinement with the handle so that the 0tool may work its way around any boulders or other obstructions whichmay be found in the mass, and provides a much more advantageousstructure than one wherein the handle is made rigid with the tool. 15 Ifdesired an auxiliary spade member or blade 4| may be secured upon theenlarged portion l5 of the body of the tool to extend downwardlytherefrom, the blade 4| being preferably corrugated, as shown in Fig. 2,and being connected 20 to the tool in such a way that it projectslaterally from the body thereof. In this position the 1 tool may be usedwith or without the blade 4|, this blade being secured to the body ofthe tool by screws or bolts 42 so that it may readily be removed if itsuse is not desired.

From the foregoing description it will be seen 30 that I have provided aconcrete tool having relatively fiat blades thereon which are vibratedin such a manner that their flat surfaces are caused to work against themass laterally to produce a paddling action which will be very effectiveto 35 compact and condense the mass, while at the same time the tool hasa relatively small displacement so that it will displace a relativelysmall quantity of the concrete when working into and out of the same.This is due to the fact that 40 the body of the tool is for the mostpart composed of the flat plates l4 and the transverse plates or vanemembers l8. The plates I4 are, of course, flat except for theenlargement necessary to provide the chamber for the vibrator cas- 45ing. Moreover, the vibrator casing is entirely enclosed, the onlycommunication therewith being through the long tubular handle 29, sothat no foreign particles will be permittedto enter the casing, evenwhen the tool itself is buried in the mass, as it will be in operation.

It will also be seen that the plates 4 with their associated parts arethe parts of the tool which will be subject to wear, and these parts maybe economically made and replaced, as the bolts I2 permit them to bereadily taken apart and new ones placed about the vibrator casing. Asthe vibrator casing is tightly gripped between the plates, the blows ofthe piston will be transmitted to the tool and will effect a veryefiicient condensing and compacting of the mass. The vibrator may beoperated at a relatively high speed, it being found practical to use avibrator variation within the spirit of the invention and within thescope of the appended claims.

What I claim is: 1. A tool for compacting concrete or the like'7comprising a body member adapted 'to'enter the bers against the mass.

2. A tool for compacting concrete or the like comprising connectedsubstantially parallel bladelike members adapted to be embedded in theconcrete, and a reciprocating vibrator secured to said membersintermediate their upper and lower ends and operating transversely tothe plane of said members to move the flat sides thereof against themass.

3. A tool for compacting concrete or the like comprising a body memberadapted to enter the mass and having substantially parallel blade-likepaddle members secured thereto, and a vibrator housed within the bodymember below the upper ends of the paddle members and designed to movesaid paddle members flatwise against the mass.

4. In a tool for compacting concrete or the like, a vibrator having acasing provided with contiguously located inlet and exhaust ports, amember secured to the casing and enclosing said ports, a tubular memberconnected to said enclosing member to conduct motive fluid to, andexhaust fluid from, said vibrator, and blade members secured to thevibrator casing and extending transversely thereto to be moved flatwiseagainst the concrete mass.

5. In a tool for compacting concrete or the like, a vibrator having acasing provided with inlet and exhaust ports, means for enclosing saidports, a single handle member connected to said enclosing means toextend substantially at right angles to the axis of the vibrator, saidhandle member having passages therewithin to conduct motive fluid to,and exhaust fluid from, said vibrator, and blade members secured to thevibrator casing and extending transversely thereto to be moved flatwiseagainst the concrete mass.

6. In a tool for compacting concrete or the like, a vibrator having acasing provided with inlet and exhaust ports, means for enclosing saidports, a single handle member connected to said enclosing means anddisposed at substantially right angles to the vibrator axis, said handlemember having passages therewithin to conduct motive fluid to, andexhaust fluid from, said vibrator, blade members secured to the vibratorcasing and extending transversely thereto to be moved flatwise againstthe concrete mass, and said handle member being rigid for the greaterpart of its length but having a flexible section therein adjacent thevibrator.

'7. In a tool for compacting concrete or the like, a vibrator, a pair ofbody elements embracing and rigidly secured to the vibrator whereby thelatter is clamped between the body elements, and flat blade-like memberssecured to the body elements to extend transversely of the vibratoraxis.

8. In a tool for compacting concrete or the like, a vibrator having acasing and reciprocating piston therein, a pair of body elements securedto said vibrator in embracing relation thereto, and each of said bodyelements comprising a flat plate-like member having blade memberssecured thereto to extend transversely of the vibrator axis.

9. In a tool for compacting concrete or the like, a fluid pressureoperated vibrator comprising a casing and a reciprocating pistontherein,

flat blade-like members secured to the casing to extend. above and belowthe same and to extend 1 fluid .to, and exhaust fluid from, thevibrator. a; 5

10. In a tool for working a mass of concrete or the like, a vibratorcasing and areciprocating piston therein, a flat blade-like membersecured to the vibrator body to extend substantially transversely to theaxis of the vibrator, and tubu- 10 lar members secured to said vibratorbody to carry pressure fluid to and from the vibrator, and one of saidtubular members serving as a handle for the tool.

11. In a tool for working a mass of concrete or 5 the like, a vibratorbody, a plurality of substantially parallel blade-like members securedto the body, a reciprocating piston within the vibrator and operating ina direction transverse to said blade-like members, and tubular membersse- 20 cured to said vibrator to carry the pressure fluid to and fromthe same, and one of said tubular members being enclosed within theother.

12. In a tool for working a mass of concrete or the like, a vibratorbody, a plurality of substan- 5 tially parallel blade-like memberssecured to the body, a reciprocating piston within the vibrator andoperating in a direction transverse to said blade-like members, andtubular memberssecured to said vibrator to carry the pressure fluid toand 30 from the same, one of said tubular members being enclosed withinthe other, and said outer tubular member comprising a rigid elementhaving a flexible section adjacent the tool and serving as a handle forthe tool. 35

13. In a tool for working a mass of concrete or the like, a blade memberfor insertion into the mass, a vibrator unit rigidly secured directly tothe blade member, said vibrator unit comprising a piston reciprocatingin a direction at right an- 40 gles to the plane of the blade member,and a handle member secured to the vibrator unit whereby the latterserves to connect the handle member with the blade, and said handlemember having a passage therein to carry pressure 45 fluid to thevibrator.

14. A tool for working concrete or the like comprising a body memberconsisting of a pair of plate-like elements, said elements having hollowenlarged portions oppositely facing to provide a- 5 chamber, a vibratorcasing disposed in said chamber and clamped between the body elements, aplurality of substantially parallel blades secured to the body elementsand extending transversely of the axis of the vibrator, and means toconvey 55 pressure fluid to the vibrator.

15. A tool for working concrete or the like comprising a body memberconsisting of a pair of plate-like elements, said elements having hollowenlarged portions oppositely facing to pro- 0 vide a chamber, a vibratorcasing disposed in said chamber and clamped between the body elements,

a plurality of substantially parallel blades secured to the bodyelements and extending transversely of the axis of the vibrator, meansto convey pres- 55 sure fluid to the vibrator, and a spade elementadapted to be secured to one of the body elements to extend downwardlytherefrom.

16. In a tool for compacting concrete or the like, a vibrator having acasing provided with in- 70 let and outlet ports, means for enclosingsaid ports, tubular means connected to said enclosing means to conductmotive fluid to, and exhaust fluid from, said vibrator, and blademembers secured to the vibrator casing having flat faces ex- 75 theconcrete, a reciprocating vibrator secured to said members to operatetransversely to the plane thereof to move the flat faces of. the membersagainst the mass, and said vibrator acting on an intermediate portion ofsaid blade-like members between the ends thereof.

GEORGE. B. PICKOP.

